May 2023 Newsletter

We're baaaaaack........

After four years since our last in-person conference, we will convene in Frisco this year and it will be better than ever! We are planning an educational, informative, and diverse two-day program that includes multiple topics and tracks, including: 

• legislative and regulatory advocacy
• case studies and project profiles
• financial and funding avenues
• communications and public outreach
• treatment advancements and research updates
• a workshop to develop an updated priority list similar to this 2011 list from the Texas Water Development Board project Advancing Water Reuse in Texas (see Component C Report for full Water Reuse Research Agenda report)
• determining if reuse is right for your community
• plenary panels on topics such as industrial reuse

We will also have a reception the evening before the conference and lots of networking time. You won't want to miss this chance to connect with the rest of the Texas reuse community, so get your tickets and hotel room today! 

Specialty Sponsors: Garver, Pape-Dawson Engineers, Freese & Nichols

Platinum Sponsors: Carollo Engineers, CDM Smith, Plummer, Prime Controls, Gupta and Associates, Hazen & Sawyer, Andritz Separation, Inc.

Gold Sponsors: MWH Constructors

Silver Sponsors: Lloyd Gosselink Attorneys at Law, Innovatreat

Sponsorship and tabling opportunities are still available - please view our sponsorship prospectus or contact Noelle George for more information.

On April 12, WateReuse Texas held its annual membership meeting at Texas Water, along with a reuse happy hour afterward at local Houston venue Truck Yard. 

Managing Director Noelle George presented a summary of 2022 activities, financials, committee updates, and 2023 plans to the attendees. Member representatives also voted to add two new board trustees: Marisa Palmer from San Antonio Water Systems and Dan Olson from Garver (see below for bios). 

To learn more about the presentation, click the button to view a pdf version. The financial slides are redacted since it's a public link, but members can request a non-redacted copy. If you have questions or feedback, or would like to request the financial slides, please contact us. 

WateReuse Texas hopes to improve our advocacy, communications, and technical programming to ensure we reflect our members’ priorities. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey from WateReuse Association to ensure we have good Texas representation. Your answers will help us support your water reuse goals in 2023.

The 88th Texas Legislative session has had unprecedented activity around water, and WateReuse Texas is collaborating with multiple Texas water organizations to take advantage of the budget surplus and interest in water infrastructure needs. There have also been several regulatory rule amendments and upcoming changes to share with the Texas reuse community, as well as updates on the efforts to remove regulatory barriers to onsite treatment and reuse of blackwater. Click the button below to read the article and learn more about these key updates around reuse! 

Please contact us if you have any comments or concerns about our advocacy efforts, or would like to join our policy committee.

NEWS

$34.6 Million Awarded to Texas for Clean Water Infrastructure Upgrades
The EPA announced funding from this year's Clean Water State Revolving Funds to go toward the five states, including Texas, for water infrastructure improvements. Nearly half of the funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans. Read more.

Bureau of Reclamation Releases NOFA for Reuse and Desalination Research Funding
The Bureau of Reclamation recently released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Desalination and Water Purification Research Program. WateReuse Association and our members worked to help secure important research funding for this desalination program. The program aims to develop innovative and disruptive new technologies and processes to improve system efficiency, reduce energy costs, improve concentrate management, and advance the monitoring and destruction of contaminants of emerging concern. Applicants are invited to submit their written research proposals by June 20, 2023 at 4 pm MDT. Learn more.

EVENTS

View our Meetings and Events page - additional events will be added as they are confirmed. 

May 27-28: Conserving water is good for everyone! Spread the word about the Texas Water Efficient Products Tax Holiday, where consumers and service providers can purchase certain water efficiency products tax-free. 

June 5: Stakeholder meeting for pending changes to TCEQ Chapter 217 relating to reclaimed wastewater collection systems. View the advocacy updates article for more details, or visit the Wastewater System Design Criteria Stakeholder Group for the proposed changes and future meeting announcements. 

September 20-22, 2023: The WateReuse Texas Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Frisco, Texas. Sponsorship and tabling opportunities are limited, please contact Noelle George for more information.

Noelle George, Managing Director
ngeorge@watereuse.org | (832) 619-9496